As Marquee previously reported, the Farrelly Brothers' "The Three Stooges" movie was set to begin shooting in March without a cast. Now, quirky actor Paul Giamatti confirms Internet buzz that he could, in fact, be getting his slapstick on as wild-haired Stooge Larry Fine.

Giamatti tells New York magazine's Vulture he didn't even know a Three Stooges movie was in the works when a man at the Sundance Film Festival asked if he would be interested in replacing Sean Penn as Larry.

"I just thought it was some weird question! So I went, 'Sure,'" explains 43-year-old Giamatti. "I didn't know what he was talking about, and then the next thing I knew, it was all over the Internet. Then [the filmmakers] said, 'Do you want to read the script?' And I said, 'Sure.' And I read it and said, 'This is really nice. I want to do it.'"

But Giamatti is quick to add that it's far from a done deal. "It's taken on a life of its own that has nothing to do with me," he says of rumors that he's already landed the role.

"The Three Stooges" movie, which will feature three 27-minute shorts filled with the trio's typical high-jinks, was to star Benicio Del Toro as Moe and Jim Carrey as Curly, but neither actor is currently attached to the production.

"We are opening up these roles to the world right now," says filmmaker Peter Farrelly. "We'll make it with the best possible people."

The real Stooges acted together for years upon years doing their shtick. I don't see how it's possible to slap some random names upon a movie and reproduce their chemistry. This movie is going to be cringeworthy.